Sunday, April 9, 2017

Okay, well, I guess, um... here we are, folks! eight days into the season, and we're already bracing ourselves for the test results. Does this team have incurable cancer? Or is it just a case of the clap? We sit in the E.R. smoking lounge, waiting for the life or death news. Every time a doctor comes out, we lift our eyes and hold our breath. Well... juju gods... bring it on.

Let's see what this team has - right here, right now. Let's not wait until June or August. If this is yet another collapsed season of garage sales and disappointment - if we'll go into late July as sellers, rather than contenders - so be it.

Let's do it now, not later. Let's see what we've got in the hearts of this team, rather than always be blathering about "potential." Our minor leagues are filled with "potential." (Just like every other team.) Right here, right now... let's get a bead on what 2017 can deliver.

Thus far, it's been nothing but pain. In the last 48 hours, we have lost our best young hitters (Sanchez and Bird), our best pitching prospect (Kaprielian), and probably the most intriguing prospect in our system (Dillon Tate, the high-ceiling pitcher we obtained from Texas last summer for Carlos Beltran; he's out with a shoulder injury.) We have lost four miserable games, each one a waterboarding session. Our rotation is terrible, and the bullpen is getting there.

The only positive thus far is that it's too early to give up. But every hopeful '17 projection came with the whispered caveat that this team's young players needed a good start - that we couldn't afford to fall behind in April/May, and now - well - it might be happening, right before our eyes.

So let's test this team - right here, right now. Let's see what we've got. It's too early to panic, but not to search our souls. Today's AL division leaders are Baltimore, Minnesota and the Angels - none will last long. Win a couple games, and all the terror goes away. Win a few, and by Easter, we can be laughing about this. But Gary Sanchez won't be catching. And something better change fast.

8 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Mulligan! Please? If we could just get a Mulligan please. Maybe we could truly make the Yankees great again. Just a few days ago I had hope - I had dreams, plans and schemes. Just a few days, a few games to do over again to avoid injuries, Headley fielding errors, Joey Binders mix and marchathons, etc...

So - - Joey Blue-Binders is already falling into a familiar pattern: let us slide behind with a demoralizing error, or a couple of stolen bases, then putting all his easter-eggs into the Home Run King of the NL, 2016 (who, incidentally, just also happens to be the Klunk-King of the NL, 2016) - - who promptly whales at the first pitch - - and hits what woulda' been a DP ball (if we had two outs left)....Meantime, he uses the Gentle Giant (AJ) as a pinch-runner???? When we need a speed-demon on the bases, gotta' make it Aaron Judge, right??About one more series, and I will chalk up this years' MLB Xtra Innings sub up into the 'L' column - - and start searching for those old Betamax tapes of some precious Gong Shows (and my tape of Hail, Hail!, Rock n' Roll!!)Promises to be a loooong summer - - LET THE KIDS PLAY AND LEARN - - and grow on the field, if any of them can keep away from Swannie. LB (No J)

I think Joey was out of options when he put in Judge as a pinch runner. The team does not carry a speed guy. We had no one who could catch if Romine went down ( is Joey Binders allowed?).

We all laughed at the futility....we had a right tackle on first and replaced him with our most mobile guard. There had to be chuckles in the Baltimore dugout. The only rationale is that if Judge got on a downgrade ( of the basepath highway), he might build up such momentum that no one would dare get in his way to tag him out.

Seriously, does the phrase, " we are so fucked," sound familiar? I've used it a few times to describe the country, and what are the Yankees but a metaphor for America?

I din't even know about the high prospect pitcher, Dillon Tate, until Duque clued us in. I wonder if Jake Cave can pitch?

I've had to re-set my expectations after the mirage of Spring training. I remember thinking last year that if the Yankees played 'the kids', I'd be happy, even if there was a year of growing pains. Well, now I have to face that test, plus, we have NO F*CKIN PITCHING to speak of,,,, it's going to be a long brutal season. I just don't want management to do something stupid ( I know I know) by trading away talent for a few expensive bandaids just to win a couple more games. It's a building year, plain and simple,,,,,,